EVENT: One hundred students representing 13 middle schools from Long Island will participate in a Regional Science Bowl competition, which consists of two exciting contests: a fast-paced question-and-answer tournament designed to test students' knowledge in energy, earth and space sciences, mathematics and other areas, and a lithium-ion battery-powered car competition that challenges students to design, build, and race model cars. Media representatives are invited to attend, although the event is not open to the general public because of space limitations. Media representatives who plan to attend the event should notify Jane Koropsak 631 344-4909, jane@bnl.gov. All visitors to the Laboratory age 16 and older must bring a photo ID.

WHEN: Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m.

WHERE: Berkner Hall and Brookhaven Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory. The Lab is located on William Floyd Parkway, one-and-a-half miles north of Exit 68 of the LI Expressway.

DETAILS: The Regional Science Bowl at Brookhaven Lab is part of the National Science Bowl® competition coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. In 2013, more than 6,000 students participated in regional events throughout the nation. By participating in this "Jeopardy"-style academic contest and model lithium-ion battery-powered car competition, students are encouraged to excel in science and mathematics.

Similar to a sporting event, the academic competition is set up in a round-robin format followed by a double-elimination final tournament. Four teams will emerge as winners in this contest by answering the most questions correctly. The winner of the model car challenge will be determined by the fastest of three time trials. There will also be a trophy for best design. All winning teams will receive medals and a trophy, and all participants will receive T-shirts and certificates. The first-place team in the academic competition will be invited to participate in the National Science Bowl®, which will be held in Washington, DC, from April 24-April 28, 2014. A list of participating Long Island schools is below.

History of the National Science Bowl

The Department of Energy (DOE) created the National Science Bowl® in 1991 to encourage students to pursue careers in science and mathematics. More than 225,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl throughout its 23-year history. It is the nation's largest science competition.